That was the year that was. With December upon us 2024 is ready to let out its final exhalation, but before it does so there’s a few parties to attend.
Arielle Free has been with us every step of the way. A defining figure in club culture, the DJ and broadcaster continually leads from the forefront, seeking out new sounds and different voices. Engaging with those on the margins, she’s eager to platform artists who do things a little differently.
Closing 2024 in style, she’s set to hold down a special take-over at this year’s Rise Festival in the French alps, curating two incredible events.
It all kicks off this weekend, so ahead of this Arielle Free spoke to CLASH about her year in dance.
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Oppidan – ‘Mr. Sandman‘
Oppidan has been the biggest breakthrough producer of the year for me. Managing to create garage-tinged dance floor weapons without sounding like they’re a tribute act to the OG garage pioneers is a hard task. Oppidan has provided a masterclass in how to nail keeping the sound fresh, forward thinking and stretch the limits of where that sound can go.
With good pal Sammy Virji taking her on the road to all corners of the earth, the nu school garage crew have dominated dancefloors worldwide and will continue to do so in 2025. (I almost went for her track ‘WHERE’S MY VAPE?’ purely because the track title is a hard relate).
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ATRIP – Friday (Alone Right Now)
ATRIP’s ‘TANZPARTEI II (Mixtape)’ is a collection of the most sonically sumptuous creations. With soul infused ‘Friday (Alone Right Now)’ being the most played track on my Rave Up radio show, to mixtape opener And then it came together again being my go-to travel companion to help clear the head. ‘Look at Me Dance’ with Poté transports me straight to the club. It’s a mixtape for all occasions showcasing ATRIP’s finessed production skills and euphoric sound.
With peers like Disclosure and Barry Can’t Swim booking ATRIP for all their tours and WHP takeovers, it’s safe to say he’s going to be on everyone’s watchlist in 2025 with a summer full of festival dates already under his belt with plenty more to come.
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Sem Jacobs & Tagmann – ‘Blue Berries’
It was, hands down, the biggest banger of the summer, with everyone from Joseph Capriati, SG Lewis, Gorgon City and Peggy Gou firing this one out during their summer takeovers.
It went on to be one of the biggest streaming dance tracks of the year, with Sem and Tagmann now both becoming staple bookings at your favourite club nights. If you dare mix it out before the sax breakdown, we cannot be friends.
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Johnny Corporate – Sunday Shoutin’ (TSHA Remix)
On paper it’s almost sacrilege for anyone to dare remix such a celebrated dance anthem, but TSHA is more than capable of taking a track to another dimension and that’s exactly what she did with Johnny Corporate’s ‘Sunday Shoutin’. Part of the Defected 25th Anniversary celebrations, this was the finest reworking delivered from the whole remix package.
Following the remix with her much-anticipated sophomore album ‘Sad Girl’, TSHA has shown the world she is has no intention of slowing down her unstoppable accent and long may it continue.
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Azzecca – ‘IDK’
2024 was the year Azzecca proved to the world she deserves her place at all the parties and bills.
Showing the world the girls shouldn’t just be the opening act, she has taken her productions to a whole new high with this beast being one of the most asked for ID’s in her sets. An acid house, wonky beat-infused number, made for the dancefloor, Azzecca is top of my list as a future headliner.
The soup obsessed cat mother will be my go-to set at this year’s Rise festival.
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Girls Don’t Sync – Come Thru.
Since 2019, these girls have come to any stage with ferocious energy and with one mission… to make you PARTY. Never telling each other what they’re planning to play each set, there’s one guarantee that they’ll blow the bloody roof off.
Following a four track edit package, ‘Come Thru’ is the first showcase of the girls’ original music, self-releasing on their own imprint and making dancefloors fire up across the UK. And bringing a whole new tribe of ladies back to the club whilst they’re at it. Selling out any date they announce in seconds, Girls Don’t Sync are here to take over the world.
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William Kiss – ‘House Machine’ feat. Todd Terry & Roland Clark
With everyone from Carlita to Swedish House Mafia hammering William’s productions, the hard-working Aussie has been grafting away for years and finally getting the recognition he deserves. I got to witness just how quickly he can whip a crowd into a frenzy when he came to play my Free Your Mind party at Night Tales, and he is insatiable behind the decks!
Constantly firing out percussive led house wallopers and with a side project with good pal’s Luke Alessi & Jordan Brando as not without friends. 2025 will be full to the brim of William Kiss goodies and I can’t wait to hear every single one!
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Disclosure – ‘She’s Gone, Dance On‘
Getting to see Disclosure bring their live show back to the masses after a long hiatus was magical this year and dropping this beaut of a track right at the beginning of festival season was the cherry on the top. If there’s one thing, I would ask of anyone is that you go to see Disclosure LIVE.
Nothing compares to the journey the brothers take you one whilst on stage. With sets filled full of their iconic two step debut material to genre blending more recent flows, there is nothing these guys can’t do. Onstage surprise appearances from long time collaborators like Sam Smith and Jessie Ware. The Disclosure brothers are surely our generation’s most accomplished and celebrated producers.
Sammy Virji & Interplanetary Criminal – Damager
A late contender for song of the year, besties Sammy & Interplanetary Criminal make one of the bounciest, bass face-inducing tracks of 2024. It may feel like Sammy has catapulted out of nowhere, but the London-born producer has been making music for the best part of a decade. With inspirations ranging from Quincey Jones to Disclosure, Sammy deserves all the flowers and Mancunian pal Interplanetary Criminal has cemented himself as one of the lead fixtures on any bill. Both acts will see headline slots in 2025 showing the world just how fruitful the UK electronic scene is right now.
Joy Orbison – flight fm
flight fm was released right at the start of the year and has probably been the most played track for any DJ in 2024. Whatever genre of music the DJ plays, there will always have been one moment in their set when they’ve whipped this one out. The sure-fire ‘go-to in emergency’ track that will live in any dance lover’s record collection for the foreseeable.
Joy O is one of the most respected and celebrated producers in the dance world and rightly so. Never gifting the world with the same creation twice, I’m so excited to see what magic he brings our way over the next few years.
*Bonus track: Arielle Free – Wasabi. The perfect track for the afters. And despite what you’re thinking, it is actually about Wasabi.
